#horitsuba

Fai heard their voices in the hall of their apartment building one evening; both had stayed late after work. Or maybe, Fai theorized, that was just a cover so they could go on a private date. Footsteps moved apart, one going down the hall towards Kurogane's door and the other moving towards Fai's. The lock clicked and the door opened.

"You weren't waiting long, right?" Yuui asked with an easy smile when he saw Fai sitting at the counter with a glass of wine.

Fai shook his head. "No, not long." He lied. It felt like an eternity with all his pondering of what the two were doing. "So... were you talking to Kuro-sama just now?"

"Oh," Yuui's eyes darted around nervously. "Yeah. We ended up leaving at the same time, so we just walked back together. Are you hungry? I can make us something."

Fai blinked at the sudden change in subject and watched as his brother moved around the kitchen to find ingredients. He finished the last of his wine, his fingertip grazing along the edge of the glass.

"Kuro-sama is a really nice guy," He said quietly, Yuui stopping what he was doing to look over at him. "You're lucky."

Yuui blinked, his brows furrowing. "Fai? You don't mean..."

Fai forced on a big smile, pushing down the tears that burned at the back of his eyes. "You two make a good couple! I'm happy for you, Yuui."

Yuui gaped at Fai. For what felt like a whole minute, he just stared in what could only be described as pure disbelief at his twin, his eyes wide and jaw slack. Then, he laughed.

Fai's smile fell. What was he laughing for?

"You know," Yuui said once his laughter subsided a bit. "One thing Kurogane says is true: you really are an idiot."

"Yuui!" Fai looked properly offended; when Kurogane said it, it felt like an endearing term. Now, he just felt insulted.

Yuui shook his head and walked over to his brother. "You really think Kurogane and I are together?" He asked, taking Fai's hand.

Fai looked away, unable to hide his frown. "You two don't do a very good job at hiding it. I always see you guys hiding away somewhere and... the way he looks at you..."

Yuui sighed and tugged on Fai's hand. "Come on."

"Hey!" Fai cried as he was yanked from his seat and pulled out of their apartment. "Yuui, what on earth are you doing?"

Yuui stopped in front of Kurogane's door and knocked. A moment later, it opened. Kurogane looked between the twins, at Fai's embarrassed and nervous face and Yuui's exasperated one.

"I think it's time you moved things up a bit," Yuui told Kurogane. "If you wait any longer, my brother might go crazy."

Fai had no idea what Yuui was talking about, but the last place he wanted to be was stuck between the love of his life and his brother and their apparent romance. "Yuui, please, let's just go..."

"Well, if you won't tell him," Yuui said to the still shocked Kurogane. He turned to Fai and smiled. "Fai, do you want to know the real reason Kurogane and I have been meeting?"

Fai looked at the floor. He shrugged vaguely; he really didn't, but he figured Yuui would tell him anyway.

Yuui put his hands on Fai's shoulders. "It's been to talk about you, Fai. Kurogane here has been trying to come up with the perfect way to confess his feelings to you, so he was asking for my advice. We were just coming up with a plan."

Fai blinked and looked up at his brother in shock. What? He heard wrong, he must have. There's no way that was true, Kurogane would never--

But then Fai looked at Kurogane and saw the gym teacher awkwardly scratching the back of his neck, his cheeks flushed an adorable dusty pink color. "Kuro-sama...?" Fai breathed. "Is that... true?"

Kurogane sighed and shut his eyes, his blush darkening. "Well, it all seems like a waste now," He said. He opened his eyes again and looked right at Fai. "But... yeah. It's true."

Fai's mouth fell open. He looked at Kurogane, then at Yuui, then back at Kurogane. "But I... you... when? How did..." Fai stammered like his brain shut off.

Yuui smiled sympathetically and patted his brother's shoulders. "Poor Fai here thought that you and I were dating," He told Kurogane.

Kurogane almost recoiled. "What? Are you crazy?" Then to Yuui, he added, "No offense."

"None taken," Yuui said breezily.

Fai looked at his brother again. "You're serious? This isn't some elaborate prank, is it?

Yuui raised a brow. "Really, Fai, what kind of person do you think I am?" He pushed Fai forward a bit, towards Kurogane, and stepped back. "I'll leave the two of you alone now. Seems like you might have some things to talk about."

With a wave, Yuui walked back down the hall and disappeared into Fai's apartment. Kurogane and Fai were left in silence in the hall, both avoiding eye contact.

"Do you wanna, um... come in?" Kurogane asked, stepping to the side.

Fai nodded and entered Kurogane's apartment. Just as Kurogane shut the door, he turned on the gym teacher. "Is that really true? You were trying to come up with some fancy way to confess to me?"

"I wouldn't say it was going to be fancy, but yeah," Kurogane nodded. "I just... wanted it to be special. I mean, after so long of..." He trailed off and shook his head, suddenly embarrassed. "It was stupid of me. I should have just come right out and said it."

"Well... you could say it now," Fai said hopefully.

Kurogane's gaze softened as he looked at Fai, and now Fai could see just how wrong he truly was because the way Kurogane looked at Yuui was nothing compared to this. This expression of love, longing, exasperation, tenderness. So many emotions all dancing in those beautiful eyes that all lead to one simple sentence.

"I love you, you idiot," Kurogane told him. "Surprised it took you this long to figure it out."

Fai laughed, his heart stitched back together and suddenly so light. "Well, I am an idiot, aren't I?"